As Sri Lanka is locking horns against India in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Sri Lankan players wore black armbands to pay tribute to Percy Abeysekera, who passed away a couple of days ago. He was one of the super fans of Sri Lanka.In loving memory of legendary cheerleader, Percy Abeysekera (87).His passion and energy on the cricket field will be dearly missed. 🙏 #RIPUnclePercy pic.twitter.com/JDF3fRU6Ig— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 30, 2023Abeysekera aka Uncle Percy, was an integral part of Sri Lankas matches. He played a significant role to motivate the players.Rohit Sharma meets Uncle PercyIndia skipper Rohit Sharma visited Uncle Percy during the Asia Cup in September. The Indian opener, on Wednesday, said, “I was lucky to get an opportunity to meet him in Sri Lanka during the Asia Cup. He has been such a great fan of cricket and, of course, the Sri Lankan team. He is probably the first-ever fan that I met who was genuine, and the support from his side towards his team and the players was fantastic to see”. Sri Lanka Cricket released an official statement on Thursday, “His towering legacy spans across Sri Lankas pre- and post-test eras, and his name will remain etched forever among cricket lovers”. Uncle Percy was the true 12th man for many generations of Sri Lankan cricketers. He was there throughout my entire career, cheering us on, waving his flag and always, win or lose, making us laugh. He really loved his cricket and he was also a wonderful person. We will all miss… pic.twitter.com/d485JwbCx2— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) October 30, 2023Several former and current Sri Lankan cricketers paid homage to the super fan.Dear Uncle Percy, Thank you for everything you have done for the game , your loss will be felt all across the cricketing community. pic.twitter.com/icpKj65Cv9— Muthiah Muralidaran (@Murali_800) October 31, 2023
